By John Alechenu, Abuja
House owners of demolished property inside the WINHOMES Property situated alongside the Lagos finish of the Lagos-Calabar coastal freeway have petitioned President Bola Tinubu over what they described because the “reckless and damaging conduct” of the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi.
In a letter addressed to the President, the corporate’s chief govt, a United States citizen who can be a Nigerian diaspora investor, Engr. Stella Okengwu alleged that the minister’s conduct and utterances with respect to the demolition of the property have been able to scaring away real buyers.
In accordance with her, the minister had repeatedly invoked the president’s title in a matter that’s already earlier than a courtroom of competent jurisdiction — a conduct she mentioned, “is improper, harmful, and exposes the esteemed workplace of the President to pointless home and worldwide controversies.”
She additional defined that, “This matter is sub judice. By tying your title to his actions, he has positioned the presidency within the line of authorized and diplomatic fireplace,” noting that Part 1(3) of the 1999 Structure stays supreme over all officeholders.
The WINHOMES chief govt defined that the undertaking, conceived in 2021, was designed as a tourism-led growth mannequin aimed toward inspiring Diaspora Nigerians to reinvest of their homeland.
She additional said that a whole lot of buyers, most of whom dwell overseas, had subscribed. The undertaking, she said, sits on 20 hectares of legally acquired land in Lagos, with three legitimate titles and a couple of,500 absolutely serviced plots, every valued at ₦150 million.
Okengwu disclosed that the overall worth of the undertaking stood at ₦375 billion (roughly $250 million), representing one of many largest Diaspora-backed actual property investments within the nation.
She, nonetheless, defined that the diversion of the coastal freeway undertaking has already affected 400 plots valued at ₦60 billion, whereas cumulative damages and infrastructural losses are estimated at ₦85 billion.
“That is Diaspora sweat, actual capital, and tangible infrastructure — now endangered by ministerial overreach,” she added.
She additionally refuted insinuations that the undertaking was financed via unlawful channels, stressing that WINHOMES World Providers Ltd. is duly licensed by the Particular Management Unit In opposition to Cash Laundering (SCUML) and compliant with all Central Financial institution of Nigeria and anti–cash laundering rules.
She warned that, “All funds have been transferred via reliable monetary channels equivalent to Sendwave, MoneyGram, Western Union, and TapTap. Any try and model such lawful funds as unlawful is defamatory and will likely be met with applicable authorized motion.”
On the continuing courtroom case, she accused Umahi of creating false claims that judgment had been delivered in favour of the Federal Authorities, stating that the matter — Swimsuit No: FHC/L/CS/10063/25 — stays pending earlier than Justice Akintayo Aluko on the Federal Excessive Court docket, Ikoyi.
Citing the 1986 Supreme Court docket ruling within the case of Governor of Lagos v. Ojukwu, she mentioned no get together, together with the federal government, has the correct to take the legislation into its personal arms throughout litigation. “The Minister’s bodily go to to the disputed web site and his public declaration that he has taken the land himself is contemptuous and unconstitutional,” she asserted.
The developer additional raised considerations about studies that sure personal builders had allegedly approached the Minister to buy components of the property, warning that any such actions would quantity to fraudulent interference with personal property and destroy Nigeria’s overseas funding credibility.
She mentioned, “The world is watching. Each reckless assertion from the Minister de-markets Nigeria and raises the danger notion amongst overseas buyers.”
She appealed to President Tinubu to intervene by calling the minister to order, reaffirming judicial independence, and organising an unbiased valuation panel to evaluate diaspora losses.
The board investor mentioned, “That is your second to indicate that Renewed Hope shouldn’t be a slogan however a covenant of justice,” she informed the President. “Both we defend the Structure and Nigeria’s funding future or enable ministerial impunity to erode belief constructed over a long time.”
The petition concluded with a name for structured dialogue between the Tinubu administration and WINHOMES via its authorized representatives, including that “the credibility of Nigeria’s funding local weather is determined by how this matter is resolved.”
The put up Lagos-Calabar Coastal Freeway: Property homeowners petition Tinubu appeared first on Vanguard Information.
